Style
by mew-tsubaki
Summary: Oneshot. Remus and Sirius, getting used to the new way of things now that Sirius is back and the Order is making a return. *set between GoF & OotP; canon-compliant with /45 Ways to Make a Werewolf Fall for You/ but can be read on its own; for theFearTakesHold on AO3*


**Style**

A HariPo oneshot

by mew-tsubaki

Note: The _Harry Potter_ characters belong to J.K. Rowling, not to me. At long last, I write a teensy bit more for the _45 Ways_ universe. XD Read, review, and enjoy!

\- ^-^3

Amidst the unpacking, the cleaning, the rearranging—somehow, just somehow, they'd made a decent living space out of Sirius' ancestral home.

"Never thought I'd be back in this hellhole," Sirius thought aloud on Remus' left as he brushed back some hair that had fallen in his face and wiped the sweat from his brow.

Remus concurred with a nod. If he let his eyes linger on any one object too long, he'd begin to wonder all the things Sirius hadn't told him or James about living with the likes of Walburga.

As if on cue, her portrait turned up the volume as it cursed them out upstairs, using the usual "blood-traitor" and "half-breed" grumbles and throwing in a few new ones more tailored to critiquing her eldest son's relationship. They could hear Kreacher's shuffling as the house-elf headed to tend to his mistress and affirm her beliefs.

Yes, well, no use dwelling on old grievances, Remus decided. He much preferred staring at Sirius' profile right now, especially in light of their circumstances.

Sirius caught him staring and broke into a wide grin. "What?"

Remus blinked. "What?"

"Moony, you've been giving me dreamy eyes all day long, like a witch drunk on love potion. Something on your mind?"

"No, not quite."

Sirius raised his eyebrows.

"…well, we're living together again. We've made a new home." Even as he said it, Remus felt swelling embarrassment burn hot in his chest, and he dropped his eyes to the floor. He even took a step back as Sirius took one forward.

"All this time, and _now_ you're getting flustered?" He caught Remus' nearer hand to plant the werewolf, and then he rested his forehead against Remus'. "We can do this. I can do this, if you're worried about me. But we—you can do this, if you're ready."

A slow couple seconds trickled by before Remus nodded, distracted by the soft jet lock that brushed his cheekbone as Sirius remained close. "I am."

"Good. Because you know it's all the same to me: Whether you want to keep your flat or truly move in, all I need is to have you safe and happy."

At that, his heart stupidly thudded in his chest, and he pecked Sirius' lips and hugged him tightly. "Ever the charmer, Black."

"Ever the soft one, Lupin." Sirius returned the embrace with a warm hand on the small of Remus' back before they broke apart.

"I do worry it's not wolf-proof, though," Remus remarked as they thumbed through framed photos that had yet to be dusted or, in some cases, scoured.

"We'll select a room and make it so," Sirius replied. He snorted. "Perhaps my parents' room? No, wait—my mother's closet."

"Sirius, you know how large he gets…"

"Rem, her closet is the biggest room in the whole damn place."

He paused, surprised considering he knew the length of the kitchen/dining room. "Oh. That'll do."

Sirius nodded.

They spent a little while longer moving things around—if Dumbledore truly meant to use this as the new Order headquarters, they'd have to be prepped to house everyone at the drop of a wand—before the morning was nearly over. Three days of solid work and effort, and Twelve Grimmauld Place would be good as new.

"You're staring again," Sirius pointed out. They were now outside, having gone through the back door to the fenced-in bit of yard that, thanks to the proper spells, was expansive and free from prying Muggle ears and eyes.

"Was not."

"You only get defensive like a child when you're truly red-handed, Moony. But I don't mind." He leaned back against a post to the left of the stone steps that led to the grass. "I just might need to start charging you. I could make a pretty Knut off you, luv."

Remus rolled his eyes. "I'm just glad to see you looking healthier these days."

Just as it did every time he said such a thing, something flashed in Sirius' gray eyes, something cold, sad, and fearful. But then thoughts of Azkaban would vanish, and Sirius would shake things off with a cocky sigh and a shrug. "You said that even when I crashed at your flat months ago for a few days."

"Because Molly's secret parcels to you have been working."

"True, although it was nice having dinner with you again. Candlelight dinner, just for two…"

"Interrupted by my lover who decide he needed to Floo-call his godson right that second."

Sirius was grinning again. "You didn't mind interrupting my interruption, though."

"It was just to see how Harry was doing, given the tournament."

"He's as much your godson as is he mine," Sirius mentioned softly.

Remus ignored how, to his ears, the "god" in "godson" had been barely more than a whisper. "Back on topic: If you have both Molly and me around to feed you, you're going to have to let out some of your cloaks, shirts, and waistcoats, Sirius. Trousers, as well."

"Moony, you wound me! There'd simply be more of me to love!"

"Of course, Sirius." Remus punctuated his dismissal with another kiss, just to his cheek.

Sirius grumbled, but eventually he relented when Remus ran a hand through his hair. "Moony."

"Padfoot."

Sirius glanced at him, some of his boyish charm still there despite the Dementors' best efforts. "Give me a trim, will you?"

Remus pursed his lips and settled his lover with a half-lidded stare. "You knew the whole time, didn't you?"

"That you keep getting distracted by my beautiful tresses? We've been here for three days, luv. It's been three days of you ogling me when you think I'm not looking."

"I wasn't ogli—" He caught himself and cast Aguamenti instead, right above Sirius' head so the Black son would be drenched. "One haircut, coming right up," Remus said. It was hard not to laugh at the sight of a damp Sirius; thankfully he didn't have that wet dog smell.

Sirius sat on the top step with Remus kneeling behind him. The Animagus kept quiet while Remus worked with a Shearing Spell and cut the length down in sections.

_** Snip!**_ Gone was the evidence of neglect on the part of Azkaban's jailers.

_** Snip! **_Gone was the reminder that, even distantly, Sirius was in fact related to the Lestrange brothers.

_** Snip! **_Gone was the proof that more than a decade had passed without contact between the two of them, passed with the notion that they might've been on warring sides, in spite of everything they'd been through together…in spite of everything in their hearts.

At last, back was the Sirius Black with whom Remus had fallen in love.

Remus cast a Heating Charm, and some of the ends curled around Sirius' jaw as the shaggy mop dried. Remus moved to sit beside his partner on the right, and he rested his head on Sirius' nearer shoulder, pleased as the other wizard reached for his hand.

"The hair was bothering me, too," Sirius said.

"Mm."

"I mean, there's long, and then there's _long_, y'know?"

"Mm."

"… …I finally feel like myself again. Thank you, Remus."

Remus was tempted to answer with another "Mm," but he smiled instead as Sirius brought his hand up to his lips to kiss. His smile grew when Sirius moved his lips from the back of his hand to the large signet ring on Remus' ring finger, and he turned Sirius' face towards him to snag that kiss instead.

"Don't be jealous of a ring, luv," Sirius quipped. They got to their feet, their stomachs growling just in time for lunch.

"You know I can't move in here with you, Sirius," Remus announced suddenly once they were inside.

Sirius waited.

"Fully, that is."

That Sirius smirk of his returned. "Whatever you need to do, Mrs. Black."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Just when I thought you were like your old self again…"

"I'm exactly back to my old self. Except for the stubble." He stroked his chin to emphasize his point. "It's rather dashing, isn't it?" He waggled his eyebrows and laughed at himself.

But Remus didn't laugh. Why would he?

This home, new to them—

Almost-married life—

His Sirius, shaggy hair, baby beard, and all—

It was nothing to laugh at. It was their style. And that was something to love.

\- ^-^3

**:D Years and years after the end of **_**45 Ways to Make a Werewolf Fall for You**_**, I return with this gift as thanks for a follower on AO3, ****theFearTakesHold****, who commented on every chapter as I cross-posted an edited version to AO3 and to tumblr. **_**45 Ways**_** will always be one of my favorite things I've ever written, and I never really thought I'd return to it because it really needed to stay left as-is. At the same time, I gifted my loyal every-chappie reviewers on FFN back when the story ended then, with "Fleas," and I wanted to do that again, although this time the story is set firmly in the canon of **_**45 Ways**_** (there are a few Easter eggs for readers ;3). This moment felt especially tender to me as the idea developed in my brain, and I'm happy I got to write it; writing makes me happy, and boy do I need that rn, *lol*. Hope you enjoyed this, tFTH!**

**And thanks to everyone else for reading, and please review! If you missed **_**45 Ways**_**, need more Wolfstar or Marauders, or just want a horde of HariPo fics to read, then swing on by my collection of stories! You won't be disappointed.**

**-mew-tsubaki ;)**


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